The Death of a Species: An Unconvential Alien Invasion Story
Hello everyone!
So, continuing with the trend of Prometheus' Wildfire and Like No Other, I have another short story for you all. After ending with the dark note of the main protagonist of my last short story being imprisoned and tried, I thought I would provide another one that ended on a more hopeful tone. Because of this, I wrote this unique short story. I hope you enjoy!
Inspiration
The Death of a Species
I
Tenzun sat in front of the screen, watching the data about the radio waves pour over it. He had joined the Radio Project in the hopes his planet could find anyone else out there in space. It had been eighteen years since he had been stationed at the Tropical Research Array, and there were no signs as of yet.
The Malonics had been sending out signals for over two hundred years, more than enough time for a species of creatures with their level of intelligence to respond. Each message broadcast contained several important facts about them that any other species would recognize: the prime numbers up to thirty-seven, the Hecorroc Sequence up to the eleventh digit, the double-helix structure of DNA, an image of a Malonic man and woman, the Fission Equation, and the relative location of Malonius in relation to the fifty other stars nearby, just to mention a few. Yet, there was no response. Some Malonics were even stating they were the only ones in the universe, and the Radio Project had received cuts in funding from the scientific and military institutions of the nations on Malonius. Instead, the governments had turned to building spaceships and colonizing their system, hoping one day to build a light-speed starship or even achieve superluminal travel.
Tenzun continued to watch the numbers and syllables of each type of radio wave received. Finally, something caught his attention: it was a unique syllabonumeric string. He then activated the decoding program and ran the received wave through it.
Just like the messages the Malonics had sent for two centuries, the message exhibited signs of intelligence: a prime number sequence up to ninety-seven, the Hecorroc Sequence up to the nineteenth digit, a graphical representation of DNA, an image of a man and woman from the transmitter’s species, and the Fission Equation. In addition to these signs, there were differences. One was the location of three different worlds the species had colonized in relation to each other, and the other was the location of a spacecraft that was bound for Malonius. The craft would arrive in one month.
Tenzun reached for the telephone and notified his superiors. They had found life elsewhere in the universe.
Over the course of a month, heated discussion between the great powers of Malonius and their respective alliances ensued. It was not a debate about how to best handle the incoming probe. It was about maintaining hegemony in their respective corners of Malonius.
Ultimately, the Mkedrin civilization was the most insistent on intercepting the probe. If they received it, maybe they would learn about the species it came from in order to protect themselves from them and gain their advanced technology. Additionally, they were more powerful than the Tedria, Yansk, and Gzoyne civilizations, so they claimed to have every right to intercept the probe and distribute the information. But the other nations outside of Mkedrin hegemony were concerned about this. The Mkedrin government was known for inconsistency in their telling of events and was struggling to keep itself together. If the Mkedrin space force intercepted the probe, it would provide a boost to the morale and pride of the citizens, and show the other three who were the masters of Malonius.
II
As a result, Tenzun and his superior Mandro found themselves on the Mkedrin intercept craft when the probe arrived. They watched with the other astronauts, soldiers, scientists, and royalty of Mkedrinso as the probe was brought into the bay of the craft. Once the airlock at the front of the vessel dilated shut, the space repressurized and the AI permitted access to the space.
Tenzun, Mandro, and a score of soldiers approached the probe. It was oval-shaped, at least nine rhat long, eighteen rhat wide, and three rhat tall – the size of a small house on Malonius. The outside was painted white, but the front of it was painted black. Several nozzles that were presumably the engines of the craft were at the rear of it.
A panel on the side of the craft lifted upwards. It was a type of door. A member of the species exited.
Unlike the Malonics, she lacked body-covering fur. Instead, her flesh was visible and smooth. The head was also different from a Malonic, as the neck was narrower than the head, the ears were smaller and rounded, and she lacked a snout. Her hair was long and braided, and had the color of tarnished gold.
“Greetings,” she said at last. “I am called Annagletha. I come in peace.”
Her accent was unlike any on Malonius. She spoke perfect Mkedrin, however, and she seemed to remain calm in the presence of an alien species.
"I have come to share the history of our world with you,” she said. “We hope you will appreciate the great lengths Humanity has come to share our culture with you.”
She then began to recount an abridged history of her species. Humanity had spent many years in pursuing a path to the stars, yet they had only spent about three centuries with travel outside of their solar system. In their home system was the capital of their empire, which they were careful not to reveal to too many because, like the Malonics, they had also sent out messages without care for two hundred years before they realized it could bring about the destruction of their species.
However, Tenzun thought that maybe the tale applied to the Malonics. Malonius was a sparsely-populated world, though food rationing was present in the majority of nations due to an increasing focus on the military by several nations and the bellicose space race between the Malonic great powers. Those deemed as crucial to society received more nutritious, larger portions and those deemed as expendable received smaller, degraded meals. As a result, the Malonics were ripe for conquering.
“Will you conquer us?” Tenzun asked.
Annagletha laughed.
“No,” she responded. “I am just one among many Humans. We were just stating our collective paradigm.”
Annagletha continued, mentioning the admission of eight more species into the Empire of Sol. When a race joined, they received new technology, such as superluminal travel, from Humans and could freely participate in every aspect of imperial life, including running as an advisor for the Rendi Emperor.
“Rendi?” one of the soldiers asked.
“It means emperor of the people in one of the languages on Earth,” Annagletha explained.
“You Humans have superluminal travel?” Mandro asked.
“Yes,” Annagletha bragged, “We can use artificial wormholes known as stargates to travel to destinations. However, if there is not a complex in the system of arrival, we are stuck because we cannot maintain a hole for two-directional travel without the stargates.”
“Then how did you arrive?” another soldier asked.
“I was put into cryostasis and launched from a complex,” Annagletha explained. “I was awoken three days before today. My craft could sustain me for the journey.”
Everyone was now infatuated with Annagletha’s tale of Earth. Could they have this technology and level of equality if they joined?
“We must talk with the leaders of Malonius before we decide to join,” someone answered. He was Tevr Mrak, a Mkedrin ambassador and former intelligence officer.
That was when Annagletha made a mistake.
In an impatient tone, she responded, “Okay.”
III
Several days passed after the encounter with Annagletha. Mandro and Mrak stood in front of the World Forum of Malonius to discuss the encounter. The representatives from the great powers were present along with their leaders and commanders-in-chief. The two had recounted all of what Annagletha had stated about the Empire of Sol. Now, they waited on a decision.
“How do we know she’s telling the truth?” the Teria representative challenged. “Earth could be a wasteland and the Rendi Emperor could be a dictator worse than the Mkedrin king and military chief!”
King Sav and Chief Kye of Mkedrinso sneered at him. Teria was always the purveyor of separatism from Mkedrinso in the World Forum.
“We’ll just have to see,” the Chancellor of the Forum declared. “Ask more about the terms with Earth. Don’t be pigheaded – be open-minded. See what else she has to offer.”
“Yes, milady,” Mrak responded.
“And that goes for everyone,” she stated. “No mention of the geopolitics here. Just focus on what trade there would be.”
Everyone nodded, except King Sav. Mandro and Mrak were the least concerned about Sav when it came to Mkedrinso. Instead, they were concerned about Kye.
Tolor Kye was genetically and cybernetically enhanced in ways most other Malonic soldiers were not. Additionally, he had defeated the opposition of a civil war and numerous terrorist attacks in Mkedrinso through multiple deception tactics. He was Sav’s right hand. So, when Kye nodded in response to the Chancellor, the two representatives of the Radio Project were immediately hesitant.
IV
A week passed after the meeting. As with the probe interception, the Mkedrins had gotten to Annagletha first. The Mkedrin news outlets set up cameras and began filming the interview to be conducted. Annagletha was questioned about the admittance into the Empire of Sol in every imaginable way. Scientists, businessmen, and military representatives probed for information in every possible way.
Finally, Annagletha seemed to break. She abruptly stated, “Well, you want to know one thing about Earth? We’ve mastered biological engineering.”
“Really?” one scientist exclaimed.
“Yes. Everything that services our needs is based on genetic engineering. Simple bioremediation provides for our water supply. Never again have we used chemicals to preserve food or treat wastewater.”
“By everything, you mean, everything?” a businessman asked.
“Almost. Our starships, technology, and buildings are still made from non-renewable sources like stone and metal, but we mine for these resources on other celestial objects.”
“Do you ever use these organisms for warfare?” a military representative asked.
Annagletha was silent. She seemed to have been struck to her core.
“I’ve told you enough already,” she bit back at him. “I’ll divulge nothing more.”
“Oh,” he responded, offended.
Annagletha stood up from her chair. “Cameras off. This interview is over.”
“Miss,” a journalist began, “you-”
“Do it now!” Annagletha told her. She then turned around and headed for her ship.
An hour later, the interview was uploaded to the Malonic internet. Kye watched the whole interview with his subordinates as soon as it released. On conclusion, they began to discuss the situation and their actions.
“Well, men,” he began, “what do you think?”
“It’s a gamble,” Sub-chief Resd Rhor replied. “I don’t like it at all.”
“We’re being played!” Sub-chief Zder Chesk hollered. “They’ll conquer us. They use that biotech for nefarious purposes!”
“King Sav has been a weak leader,” Kye began. “I should’ve overthrown him years ago.”
“Chief Kye, may I state something?” Sub-chief Faz Hyo interrupted.
“If you must,” Kye snarled as he sank into his chair.
“Maybe Sub-chiefs Chesk and Rhor are right. However, what if this is the goal of the Empire of Sol – to have us turn on each other?”
“What do you mean?” Kye asked, leaning forward and adding with a tinge of suspicion, “Are you a Sav loyalist?”
“I’m just a soldier doing his duty on the council. We pledged an oath to defend Mkedrinso. If it is the Humans’ goal of conquering us, why not have us do their dirty work of slaughter?”
“They’ll be killing their messenger!” Rhor erupted.
“Doesn’t matter,” Hyo coolly stated. “We’ve long speculated that other species have a different moral code than us. Maybe to them, sacrificing one, or many, in the name of conquest or maintaining stability is acceptable according to their thought process. They lack respect for life as it is, experimenting with genetically modified organisms -”
“Excuse me, but you are a GMO,” Rhor interrupted, intending to insult Hyo with his statement. After all, the Mkedrin military forcibly enhanced anyone who was not enlisted through gene therapy and implants to perform better in their roles.
“GMO or not, we all can agree that it is not normal to excessively overuse a certain technology,” Hyo continued, mildly fazed by Rhor’s comment. “They said they use GMO’s in every way of life. What if they made a monster through genetic technology to kill en masse as a way of keeping a population in line? After all, we’ve seen the public examples of criminal executions fail to deter crime.”
“We’ll just see,” Kye snarled.
V
Then, the doors to the chamber opened, and Annagletha stepped in. Instead of the dress she wore, she was clothed in a pair of plain, green clothes reminiscent of Mkedrinso military uniforms.
“So,” she began, “you want to know about our genetic technology? Step outside.”
Everyone burst into laughter. Then, she snapped her fingers, and the men present flinched in horror at what they saw. The gene therapy they underwent had hardened each to what could be expected, but never were they prepared to see what was coming around Annagletha towards them.
Several six-legged animals with dark brown flesh and two independently moving compound eyes on stalks walked into the room. On the backs of each was grafted a type of cannon, though the metal seemed to extend into their backs. Each moved the feelers on the fronts of their heads, feeling the ground periodically as they moved.
“They are a small testimony to our power,” Annagletha droned. “Like Humans and Malonics, they are a bioelectrical organism. However, unlike us, they never eat because they are capable of photosynthesis and their joints are infused with crystals for Piezo-electric power. Their cannon, I wish I could go further, but let’s say it shoots a high-power microwave at an enemy.”
“You...you…” Kye began. He moved his hulking frame from his chair and sped towards Annagletha. One of the cannons rotated, pointing at his barrel chest. He then toppled to the ground, reaching for his heart before he exploded in a gory spectacle.
“He’s dead,” she explained. “Now, get outside, I want you to see the rest of what I’m telling you.”
The eight members of the Mkedrinso military council followed her out to a balcony on the outside of the building. In the plain daylight, they saw multiple ships overhead. On the ground, several tall, six-legged creatures armed with soldiers and artillery sped along the ground. Multiple buildings were on fire.
“You see here,” she continued, “this is what a typical attack looks like. We have more covert ways of blending in.”
“What do you mean?” Rhor asked.
“We can approximate a species’ genetic code based upon their phenotype. We just scan a planet’s population with microwaves, infrared, and ultraviolet. Then, we can create a robot and cover it in synthesized skin. It’s the perfect spy.”
“But, how do the spies function if they don’t know the language?” Hyo asked.
“We can analyze mouth movements through our radiological scanning techniques. From there, we figure out what everything means.” Annagletha paused. “ That’s how I knew the Mkedrin language. The whole vocabulary, archaic and modern, is programmed into a databank in my neural implants.
“The prompt was simple. You heard about our advanced technology. You should have suspected that we had advanced war technology. All eight races we’ve conquered so far have demonstrated various resistance or interrogative techniques. Only yours have been the most thorough. Don’t worry, we were just like you once. We would’ve been suspicious of an alien messenger who bragged about her species with such glory.
“You wanted to know about our resources? We take them from conquered worlds. In return, we give them starships, weapons, and biotech. Then, it is expected they start our colonies for us in the surrounding regions of space. So, you get to see space for yourselves. You just are part of our empire.”
“And what about those positions? Do we have a choice?”
“Eventually. Your race must prove itself worthy first. Show us obedience for five consecutive generations on the homeworld and three consecutive generations on the colonies. Only then can you run for office.”
Hyo bowed his head. The Malonics had been defeated.
VI
As I reflect on the actions of my forefathers, I can’t help but feel that they tried their best. As I finish typing up this recounting of the events, I just know that one day, we will be victorious.
Humanity made a mistake. Yeah, they had the better technology and a larger population of slave-soldiers, but there is one thing that they overlooked. When I learned about Earth animals, there was one creature that stood out to me that was known as a fox, which resembles a Malonic, but is quadrupedal. It is sneaky, smart, and dynamic, because even with the advanced technology of the Humans to keep predators from ravaging their farms, the foxes still rob them of their poultry and eggs. In fact, there are even some languages that honor the fox’s craftiness in certain idioms.
With this knowledge, me and my fellow rebels have embraced the qualities of the fox. With our light-speed starships, portable microwave weaponry, and secret mastery of bidirectional wormholes using only one stargate, we will be able to overthrow our oppressors, form an interstellar nation for Malonics by Malonics, and, eventually, liberate the other ten races oppressed by the Rendi Emperor and his minions. What the Humans meant to be our grave, or at least our chains, has proven to be what lifted us from the dust and made us strong.
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